


Thank You

by angelsbow



Series: FE rarepair week [4]
Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: Celica Route Faye, F/F, lots of characters appear in this but idk if enough for a tag, lots of ram kid mentions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 08:51:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20871509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelsbow/pseuds/angelsbow
Summary: Faye never thought she'd ever leave Ram, yet here she was, on a whim, travelling with Celica.Written for FE rarepair week day 4. Prompt: thankful





	Thank You

**Author's Note:**

> Here I am, back to my roots. I did not intend for this to be so. Long. But well. It happened. I hope everyone likes fayelicas. 
> 
> Fayelicas that also explore faye's character too because that. happened.

Faye was seven when she met Celica. 

Celica introduced herself very formally to everyone, with a curtsy and everything. Faye was never addressed like that before-- not by adults or kids her age. She remembered when she met Gray, he slapped her hand with saliva as a greeting. Truly a disgusting boy. 

Her Ma taught her how to address nobility just in case she had to some day. You said your name, gave them a smile, and then curtseyed. Celica was treating her exactly like how her Ma told her to treat nobility. What kind of village did Celica come from that she did this? She decided from that impression alone that Celica was a weirdo. 

But... despite that, Faye was curious about Celica. There were no girls her age in Ram. Faye often clung to Gray's sisters as a means of friendship outside of boys, but they were many years older than her. Something about Celica made her excited...to have a friend her age that was a girl. And so, that was the start of their friendship. 

Faye wouldn't describe Celica necessarily as shy, but she kept her distance. She was really closed off. For months she continued to stay holed up in her room, and would talk to Alm only. Faye's Nanna's cookies wouldn't even lure Celica out of the room. But at least Alm enjoyed the cookies. 

* * *

Alm brought Celica along into their flower field. Tobin, Gray, and Alm were chasing each other, or maybe they were running away from a bee. Faye couldn't tell, they were too loud with their screaming. Kliff was reading a book, hardly concerned with what's happening. A butterfly landed on his head.

"What are you doing? Celica asked her as she noticed the pile of flowers in Faye's lap. 

"Making a wreath. Would you like one?" Faye offered. 

"Oh yes!" Celica beamed, looking at all the pretty flowers interwoven together in the wreath Faye was making. "How do you make one?" Celica watched Faye's hands move and weave with much curiosity. 

"Oh it's easy. I can teach you. First pick up some flowers you'd like. Make sure you're picking it from the root! You need the stem to weave." 

There was a moment of silence between them, only the sound of plucking flowers could be heard. Faye continued to weave her piece together. She hummed in satisfaction; she's become quite good at making wreaths.

"Faye! I've collected some flowers," Celica called over. 

"Okay, now watch." She picked up three flowers and showed how to cross the stems together, and slowly adding additional flowers. 

Celica frowned, having trouble. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

"Watch more closely." Faye repeated the steps more slowly so Celica could follow along. Whenever Celica stumbled a lot, Faye's hands corrected her mistakes. "See, not that bad!"

Celica looked down on the wreath she made. "You're so much better at this than me," she complimented her friend. 

Faye shrugged. "Eh, I've been doing this for years. It's just practice. "

"You think Alm would wear this?" Celica looked back at their green haired friend in curiosity. 

"No, you should give it to me instead," Faye told her. 

"Well...you did help me make it," Celica handed the wreath to her. Funny enough, they had her favorite flower in them- daisies. Celica picked that unintentionally, but it still made Faye feel warm a bit. "Thank you Faye. I hope I can make more wreaths in the future." Celica gave her a smile. 

Faye held out the wreath she was working on previously. "I think...it's fair if I gave you mine then." 

She liked this moment between them. They looked like they were fairies wearing their handmade wreaths, surrounded in a big open flower field. 

* * *

Faye was ten when she gave Celica a friendship bracelet. 

"What's this," Celica asked of curiosity, eyeing the woven bracelet.

"A friendship bracelet! I made one everyone. It signifies that we'll be best friends forever!"

"Best friends?" There was a look of uncertainty in Celica's eyes for a second, but in a blink of an eye it was gone just like that.

"Don't forget the forever part!" Faye reminded Celica. 

"...Thank you Faye, I've never received a gift like this before...it's lovely," Celica examined the bracelet in her hand. 

Faye at that moment didn't know that Celica would have left without saying goodbye. 

* * *

Faye was eighteen when she watched her friends leave Ram Village. 

A man named Lukas, who was part of the Deliverance came to their village to talk to Sir Mycen. However, he was not successful in persuading Sir Mycen to join the Deliverance...But this Lukas guy managed to leave with new recruits anyways. 

As her friends walked off in respective directions to pack up some belongings and say goodbye to their families before setting off, Alm pulled her aside. 

"Faye, I can see it in your face. If you don't want to go...you don't have to." Alm reassured her. Of course Alm would. He was always too caring and nice. She wished that he would have brushed her off, leaving her to her thoughts.

"It's not that I don't want to..." She lied. It was kind of hard to lie to Alm; He was right on the money. She didn't want to leave Ram. But seeing all of her friends jump on board into leaving their home made her insides scream. Faye wanted to run after them, to tag along, to not get left behind. She didn't want to be alone.

Did it make her a bad person if she didn't want to fight for her country? It was the noble thing to do, but she was just a commoner. Why should she throw herself into the political game that nobility played-- hardly caring about commoners and how their decisions affect people like her. They were just pawns. Why should she risk a limb for people like them, she was perfectly fine and happy in Ram Village. 

"We all have our reasons for joining the Deliverance. But I won't think less of you if you don't come along." 

They were simply words, but they hung heavy on Faye. 

She was frowning now, mulling on the decision. They could all go together...but Faye wasn't sure if she wanted to leave. She was just a commoner, why did she have to fight for conflicts of nobles. There was nothing that could persuade her into joining the Deliverance- she had no desire for gold like Tobin, or the desire to leave Ram like Kliff and Alm, or just do whatever you please like Gray always does. 

She decided to stick with her roots. 

"Promise me that...you'll write letters to me okay," Faye held out her pinkie. It was childish. But she feared if she did not hear a word from her friends they would die. Faye was not a religious person, but she prayed for their safety. God knows that they need it.

Alm chuckled, linking his finger with hers. "Just like old times. I'll make sure to write you a letter. And I'll include the others in them too."

"Good," Faye said with a smile.

And so, she did not join the Deliverance.

Before her friends left, Faye gave them some stern talking, and exchanged some hugs. She hoped those were not the last hugs she would give to them.

Lukas pulled her aside for a second.

"Miss Faye, I can give you my word that your friends are in capable hands," he tried to ease her worries. 

"Oh um. Thank you. I'm sorry for any trouble they cause," Faye bowed before him.

And so, with that she watched her friends leave Ram Village. Despite talking to them five minutes ago, it felt more lonely in their home already. 

* * *

She did not realize how much of her life was spent with her friends. She said hello to an orange tree, but there was no Kliff with a book there. 

She went to visit Tobin's household, but she stopped midstep, remembering that Tobin was with the Deliverance now. His sister managed to notice her and tackled her into a hug, but Faye felt sad hugging the child. She loved Tobin's siblings but he was no longer here. 

She bumped into Gray's Pa and talked to him about supplies; but it was strange. She was eighteen, an adult now. She remembered when conversations like these would be reserved for the ears of adults only. Gray was the same age as her, off fighting for some noble cause now. 

She went to see Sir Mycen's place, but he and Alm were gone. It was mysterious...they didn't ask her to, but she decided to tidy up their place anyways. She remembered the time Sir Mycen would read stories to her by the fireplace while she sipped on some hot tea. 

Faye felt lonely. She busied herself with chores, anything she could get her hands on, but she missed her friends. It's been a week since they left.

Maybe it wasn't too late to run after them. After all, Ram was surrounded by nothing but remoteness. They could not have possibly gone too far. Her hand itched towards her bow, but she decided not to. Instead she picked up a broom and dusted the invisible dust off her floor. 

They'll be back before she knows it. It won't take longer than three months. She can survive. Or that's what Faye told herself, to feel better. 

* * *

Two months have gone by and she has received a letter. It was from Tobin and Alm. She read through them. Tobin's letter was shorter compared to Alm's; he just wrote about his accomplishments and that he told her to take care of his siblings in his absence. 

Alm's letter detailed his journey so far: how they fought brigands, how he saw a pegasus for the first time in his life (which he also provided a picture of; it was a poorly drawn horse with wings. It made Faye chuckle, how they fought terrors, and so forth. 

The more she read it, the more she kicked herself for not joining the Deliverance...she missed her friends so much. 

She picked up a quill and started penning about her boring, Ram life. 

* * *

It is the season of Avistym. When her friends left, it was middle of Flostym. 

Eventually, Faye got accustomed to not seeing Alm, Gray, Tobin or Kliff in the village anymore. Ram Village was still the same as ever, even with all the ongoing fighting outside of their remote village. 

She was carrying a basket of oranges that she was going to give to give to her Ma until something stuck out to her. She saw a lady.

But it was no ordinary lady. Her hair was red. 

Her eyes could not believe her. It was Celica, standing right in front of Ram Village. She dropped everything not caring at all for what chores she had to do, and ran towards her childhood friend. 

"Celica is that you? You're back!" She crushed the girl in a hug. She missed her friends. She wanted them back. 

Today, Celica came back to her. Faye wasn't the religious sort at all, but she thanked the mother for this blessing. "Gosh, how long has it been? I’ve missed you so much!"

"Faye? It's nice to see you too!" Celica happily replied to Faye. She felt Celica's arms wrap around her, returning the hug. 

"What are you doing here in Ram?" 

"Oh I just came here for a detour. I wondered how everyone was doing," Celica looked around to see any other familiar faces outside of Faye.

"Oh." Faye's expression dropped. She gave a laugh but it was emotionless. "Have you seen Alm at all? He left Ram. And so did Tobin, Gray and Kliff. Just up and LEFT! I’m so desperately lonely… Anyway, I thought about going after them just to teach them a lesson, but I didn’t. I’d probably get killed by some foul beast out there on my own, you know?" Faye overshared her thoughts. She’s thought about this more than she’d like to admit. 

"Oh my...so everyone has left?"

"Yeah, but I'm still here! Come!" Faye tugged Celica's hand. She missed her friends. Celica’s hand felt nice. "My family would love to see you again," She almost yanked Celica back to her home, but Faye noticed quite a few strangers standing a few feet away from them who she didn't recognize. The pink and white haired ones kept staring at Faye. "Um...who are they?"

"Oh! These are my friends." Celica turned around to them and started introducing them.

Friends...right. 

That would make sense. Why wouldn't Celica have friends. Her heart felt heavy, but she ignored the feeling. She was happy to have Celica back, if just for the moment.

* * *

Faye on a whim has decided to travel with Celica. 

But Faye stayed quiet, on their journey. She clung to Celica's friendship, afraid of the loneliness that would come if she did not. She did not know what to say to these strangers accompanying Celica. They all greeted her kindly, but she had no words to say to them. 

It didn't dawn on Faye to ask Celica where they were going until a few days into their trip.

It was a rare moment of silence for Celica, who was usually chatting away with other party members, or listening to them. 

"So. Exactly where are we going?" Faye finally asked Celica.

"We're going to the Temple of Mila." Celica answered her question. 

The Temple of Mila huh... "What for?" Faye wasn't exactly religious...was it truly okay for someone like her to make a pilgrimage to the Mother. She didn't even know if you actually saw the Mother in a pilgrimage. When you're a farmer, all you cared about was that Mila provided you the land and soil to grow your crops on. Or at least that's what a lot of the folk in Ram did. It was said that if you got a poor harvest Mother Mila was displeased with you.

"The soil has become barren, there's terrors everywhere, and the Rigelians are invading our land....I can't help but feel this is all connected to Mother Mila. I must make sure nothing has fallen ill to her," Celica explained to her. 

"I see." So this was not a pilgrimage then...is that why...not exactly the most religious folk are joining Celica's quest. What a strange bunch; but did Faye have the right to judge them when she herself decided to flippantly join Celica on her adventure. 

Celica always seemed so grand, even when she was a child. Like...she was meant for so much more. The way she held herself, the way she spoke, the way she moved- it felt like no ordinary person would. Faye could not come up with the battle strategies the way Celica would. She was just an ordinary villager from the middle of nowhere. 

Maybe this is something she'll write about to her family. 

* * *

The group Faye traveled with was uh, a strange bunch. 

She wondered if she traveled with the Deliverance would things be different. Instead of marching with soldiers, they walked step in step with comrades. It felt like the whole group was a small family. 

There were mercenaries, soldiers, nobles and common folk alike...it was a strange group of people to see Mother Mila. 

But Faye didn't complain, or at least out loud. Celica did let her travel with them after all. And she was slowly coming out of her shell. Faye often travelled by Catria if she could not entertain a conversation with Celica. Sometimes she would talk, telling Faye about Archanea who was ever so curious about that land. After all, this was her first time travelling outside of Ram. She couldn't imagine the thought of even leaving Valentia behind. 

But other times they would walk in silence. She liked the silence between them. It felt comfortable, and not awkward (compared to Mae who seemed to always want to drag Faye into something). 

* * *

It started to feel like she was part of the group, just a bit. 

Faye noticed that sometimes, when they were taking breaks, Genny would break out a journal and just write. Fay never bothered asking her about it, considering it wasn't her business. But she was curious about Genny's hobbies. 

She didn't think any of her friends were writers. Maybe Kliff was, but if he did write anything she has never seen any of his stuff. She paused for a second in her thoughts. Genny is too kind and sweet to be compared to someone like Kliff.

Faye one day asked Genny. "Do you like writing?" 

Before Genny could answer, Mae jumped into the conversation. "Oh Genny is the best! Her writing is so good...I tell you, she's going to have best sellers!!" she hyped up her friend. 

Genny seemed surprised to hear that. "I didn't even finish writing this story...I don't know if I want to publish it," Genny thought aloud with a pencil in hand, thinking. 

"I'm just saying that your writing is so good that I would eat the pages!"

"Please don't actually eat the paper," Boey said to Mae a bit concerned. 

"Who do you take me for? Someone who would eat paper?!" Mae retorted. 

"You did as a kid," Boey pointed out to Mae. 

"Wha- Hey! That was only once. What if I told everyone that you've eaten napkins before?!" Mae huffed. 

Boey looked at Faye. "I didn't do that," though the tiny glint of fear in his eyes said otherwise.

"Liar! I saw it," Mae argued. 

Boey gritted his teeth. "You did not."

Faye was laughing at this conversation. It reminded her of the times she laughed at the ridiculousness that Gray and Tobin provided in her life. She wondered if they were still sending her letters to Ram. She completely forgot to send them a letter saying she's off on her own journey. 

It didn't matter. She would see them again after the war. After Celica's journey. 

* * *

Faye one day noticed a certain bracelet on Celica's wrist. 

"Hey is that?" Faye did not finish the sentence, but she knew Celica would know what she meant. Her eyes could not help but stare at the old bracelet she gave to her seven years ago. 

"Oh this? It's the friendship bracelet you gave me seven years ago," Celica confirmed. 

"You...kept it all this time?" Faye would have thought that by this point Celica would have lost it or abandoned it. 

"It was a good luck charm of sorts. It reminded me of my time in Ram as well." 

"I see," Faye replied. She truly didn't think that Celica would keep it all this time. Her heart felt warm. She did not bother taking her bracelet with her on her journey. It was safely tucked away in jewelry box Faye kept back home. 

Faye did not think that Celica would think this much of their friendship.

Maybe it was selfish to indulge in a feeling like this in times like these, but Faye did anyways. 

* * *

They were on Rigelian soil. 

It was nothing how Faye imagined it to be like. She expected white, fluffy snow. Instead, she was met with gross, noxious swamps. She couldn't wait to get to Duma Tower as soon as possible. She missed seeing anything that isn't a swamp or gloomy clouds. 

But that meant the end of their journey was nearing by...and thoughts of uncertainty crossed Faye's mind. What was she supposed to do once they do take back the Mother? Is she just meant to return to Ram, as if nothing happened? Those kinds of thoughts couldn't help but cross her mind. 

She decided to ask her travelling buddy Catria, "Once this journey is over, what are you going to do?" Faye asked the pegasus knight.

It was a stupid question to ask, she knew Catria was not Valentian. She had no real reason to stay in Valentia, not when she had obligations back in Archanea but...Faye has come quite to like their little group. She was going to miss it when they all disband and go their separate ways.

"Me and my sisters are returning to Archanea...we have duties there after all," Catria plainly put it.

"Oh right...the whitewings. That's an order in Archanea right?" She remembers one of the sisters telling her about it, but she wasn't sure which one of them.

"Specifically Macedon; but yes. Have you given much thought about what you'll do Faye?"

"Oh I'll be going back to Ram..." She told Catria. But truth to be told, she wasn't sure. Faye thought the logical thing for her to do is to go back to Ram Village. But now, her decision started to waver. Was Ram all there was for Faye? Alm certainly didn’t think that for himself, and neither did her friends. 

"You sound not certain?" Catria noted.

"Oh. I guess I don't know...I didn't really give much thought outside of doing anything else..." 

"How about travelling? You could always come visit Macedon...me and my sisters could show you around. I wager Est would be a more entertaining tour guide than me though," Catria mused the thought aloud with a ghost of a smile. She heard that Macedon was the country of wyvern knights. Faye has never seen a wyvern before, or at least one that is domesticated. They've seen far too many necrodragons in this past week. Est would probably show her a wyvern, all excited. It was the closest thing to a dragon after all. 

Travelling...she never thought about leaving the continent ever. But she never thought she'd ever set foot outside of Ram either. Life was full of surprises 

"Maybe. That sounds nice," Faye told Catria. Maybe she should pull a Gray and just go with the flow of life. 

* * *

The war was over. Duma was slain. Mila is dead. It was the start of an age with no gods...

It felt strange to Faye. She was just a simple villager, yet the world around her changed so much in the span of a year. 

These past few days have been hectic. Celica and Alm keep going into meetings about the future of Valentia, and what to do from now on.

Tobin looked all confused next to her, watching this frenzy. She silently agreed with him, Faye did not have the greatest grasp when it came to politics. After all, their policies only really seemed to benefit the rich and the powerful-- so the nobility essentially. 

While many ran among the Rigelian Castle, Faye caught up with her friends. Kliff, Tobin and Gray were still alive and well, much to her joy. They looked the same, but at the same time not really. Their bodies now had scars on them. That has one major difference compared to when she saw them a year ago. She swore that Kliff got a little bit taller too. 

They were the same people, laughing and passing stories of their travels, but Faye knew something was different. They were all different. They’ve all grown up.

They were not going back to Ram together were they? 

* * *

Faye finally caught Celica in a moment of peace. She's been swarmed with all sorts of people talking to her. She looked rather exhausted, even if Celica would never say those words aloud. 

"Oh Celica, there you are!"

"Hello Faye, were you looking for me?" Celica set down the cup of tea she was drinking. 

"Yes, but just to talk. No one is looking for you," Faye reassured her. 

"I see...that's good," Celica relaxed. 

"You know Celica, I don't think I ever got to say thank you," Faye thought aloud. It was true, she never did thank Celica. They traveled together for a year, yet Faye never thought about the gratitude she held towards Celica. 

"What for?" Celica asked her, confused. 

"For allowing me to travel with you..."

"Oh Faye...but I didn't do anything at all," Celica frowned a bit. "I just welcomed a friend into my journey."

"Maybe so, but I still wanted to thank you. I don't know what my life would be like if I didn't see you again, and meet everyone. This adventure...it means a lot to me," she held up her hand to her heart to emphasize her point. It was true. This journey...it was a journey that started on the basis of the fact that Faye was lonely, and craved the attention of her old childhood friend. However, it turned into a journey that made her reevaluate life. To reevaluate her ambitions. To make new friends. To stop outside her comfort zone. This journey gave her so much when she wasn’t even looking, or cared to look. For all of her life, the only thing she thought she would do is just stay in Ram forever. And she was fine with that, but now, she was uncertain.

"Oh I see. I'm glad you were here for it too then; it wouldn't have been the same without you," Celica sipped her tea, with a smile on her face.

But then, Celica offered Faye a question. "Have you thought about what you were going to do now?" she asked Faye gently. Celica was aware that many of her companions would be separating from them soon enough. But Faye was different; she wasn't a mercenary Celica hired. She wasn't someone random Celica picked up from a different walk of life, like the whitewings. She was just an old friend.

"I'll be returning to Ram," Faye told Celica slowly, a bit unsure of her plans. Talking with Alm, Gray, Tobin and Kliff made her even more uncertain about her plans to return to Ram Village.

"You sound uncertain?" Why did that sound familiar to Faye. "Why don't you return to Zofia with me then? We'll need all the help we can get with the Kingdom," Celica sighed, probably looking the most exhausted she’s seen Celica ever look around her. If Celica was tired, Faye wondered how Alm was handling all of this. 

"Oh um...I don't know," Faye admitted. She was not one for this politics stuff. And she wasn't sure if she wanted to join a knight order or something.

"We're all going the same way, why don't you join me for another journey? Think about it," Celica told her.

"Well...I suppose another journey couldn't hurt." They wouldn't reach Zofia in another month anyways. She had time.

Celica smiled at her. "I'm glad I get to travel with you again," Celica took Faye's hand and squeezed it. Her hand felt soft under Faye's calloused skin. "Take all the time you need." 

She nodded, and returned a smile back to Celica. "Thank you, Celica." 


End file.
